Dr. Bishop is Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, at the University of Arizona and a Member of the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Bishop is the Acting Chief of the Section of Hematology/Oncology at the Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System. Her research interest is developing and evaluating cancer related end of life curricula for pre and post-doctoral students.

Dr. Bishop was included in the 2002 Dean's List for Excellence in Teaching in the Clinical Sciences. She is also faculty mentor for the Societies Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

Local Arrangements: TBD

Photo coming soon

Bio coming soon

Disclosure Statement: TBD

Electronic Media Committee

Manages the Association’s website and any other electronic information services.

Eric Vinson is the Program Coordinator at the Northwest Tribal Comprehensive Cancer Program. An enrolled Cherokee Nation member, Mr. Vinson focuses on cancer issues in Northwest American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. His work has concentrated on financial and educational resources available to cancer patients and caregivers; educational interventions to address the issues of cancer in Northwest American Indian and Alaska Native communities; and health care provider trainings to increase capacity of Indian Health Service clinicians. He coordinates NTCCP’s Tribal Cancer Minigrants, supporting Northwest Tribes to reach community members through innovative educational venues such as a cancer education program provided for men at a tribal golf event. Mr. Vinson’s current work focuses on AI/AN survivorship and includes projects on patient documentation and primary care clinical systems use of cancer treatment summaries and survivorship plans. He is the recipient of: research awards from the US Navy and Army; and Harvey Mudd College Chemistry Department Award for Extraordinary Service to its Students and Faculty.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

Kathleen Heneghan, MSN, RN

Kathleen Cullen Heneghan, is the Assistant Director of the Division of Education, Surgical Patient Education Program (SPEP) at the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Ms. Heneghan is responsible for the national assessment and development of patient education programs in surgery. She collaborates with surgical specialty and professional organizations to develop, implement and evaluate the surgical patient education resources including electronic, print and simulation. The Surgical Patient Education Program aims to support professionals with evidenced based education programs and empower patients with the skills and knowledge needed for full participation in care.

Arthur M. Michalek, PhD, FACE, is currently a tenured Professor and Director of the Health Policy and Health Administration Doctoral Programs at D’Youville College. Before moving to the College he was at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute from which he retired after a 32 year career. At the Institute he served as Senior Vice President and Dean of Educational Affairs. Administratively he was responsible for the oversight of the Graduate Division (six doctoral/masters programs), clinical training in oncology, allied health training, CME, and the Medical & Scientific Library. His research program focused on cancer in special populations (such as American Indians), cancer epidemiology, education and ethics. He has authored or co-authored more than 250 journal publications, book chapters and abstracts. He has served as President of the American Association for Cancer Education. He led part of an International Consortium which studied the health effects of radiation fallout of the Chernobyl accident. He has also conducted educational and epidemiologic research in Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa. He has been a member of the National Cancer Institute Network for Cancer Control Research Among American Indians and Alaska Natives, a member of the Steering Committee of the American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Leadership Initiative (Spirit of E.A.G.L.E.S.), and has consulted with a number of individual tribes. He is also a past and current member of numerous grant review committees and reviewer for numerous journals. Dr. Michalek is also Dean Emeritus at RPCI and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cancer Education.

Sabrina Ford, PhD, iscurrently involved in cancer education research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology at Michigan State University. Dr. Ford works specifically with an NIH funded research project entitled the Kin KeeperSM Cancer Prevention Intervention that utilizes Community Health Workers to disseminate intense breast and cervical cancer education to Arab, African American and Latina women. The intervention also encourages and tracks breast and cervical cancer screening of the participants. For the last 10 years, she has conducted a number of NIH, federally, and locally funded public health projects for underserved populations at the University of Pennsylvania and the Public Health Management Corporation in Philadelphia, PA. Her research expertise involves implementing preventions, interventions, treatment, and outcomes evaluations for vulnerable populations such as children, women, and minorities. Dr. Ford is also a licensed psychologist. Her background in the study behavioral factors informs research design to improve in health behaviors and promote positive physical and mental health outcomes.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

Member, Kathleen R. Blazer, EdD, MS, CGC

Kathleen R. Blazer, EdD, MS, CGC, is a board-certified bi-lingual (Spanish) genetic counselor specializing in cancer risk assessment and cancer genetics education. She has a master’s degree in genetic counseling and a doctoral degree in education. As assistant director of the City of Hope Cancer Genetics Education Program, she is charged with curriculum development, administration and outcomes assessment of a multifaceted cancer genetics education initiative that includes a research fellowship, an intensive multi-modal cancer risk assessment training course, and a number of continuing medical education and professional development projects for physicians, nurses and genetic counselors. Her clinical and healthcare research responsibilities focus on cancer risk assessment and genetic testing services for underserved Latina women through an outreach program sponsored by City of Hope in collaboration with Olive View medical Center in Sylmar, CA. She is on the advisory board for the National Cancer Institute Cancer Genetics PDQ, the site visit team for the American Board of Genetic Counselors graduate program accreditation committee, and she is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American Society of Human Genetics, the American Association of Cancer Education and Hadassah.

Disclosure Statement: Pending

Member, Mark B. Dignan, PhD, MPH

Mark Dignan, PhD, MPH, is a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Director of the Prevention Research Center at the University of Kentucky. He received his PhD in Public Health Education from the University of Tennessee and an MPH in Biostatistics from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research has been focused on community-based cancer prevention and control for most of his career and has included projects that developed and evaluated mass media programs, lay health advisor and navigator interventions for patients and the public, and health care provider programs designed to increase screening and adherence to follow-up recommendations among medically underserved rural and minority populations. He has conducted research with several Native American populations, African-American communities, and rural medically underserved populations. Dr. Dignan’s current research focuses on cancer health disparities among Appalachian populations and includes projects on colorectal cancer screening and adherence with follow-up for cervical cancer.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

Member, Ginger Krawiec, MPA

Virginia (Ginger) Krawiec, MPA, is a Director for the American Cancer Society Extramural Grants Department. She is responsible for seven American Cancer Society grant programs that support the clinical and/or research training of health professionals (nurses, physicians and social workers). These Health Professional Training Grants promote excellence in cancer prevention and control by providing incentive and support for highly qualified individuals in outstanding training programs or responsible for training.

Ms. Krawiec joined the Society’s National Home Office in 1987 in New York City and subsequently relocated with ACS to Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to taking her current position, she was the administrator of the Sleep-Neuroendocrine Research Unit, a Mental Health Clinical Research Center at New York State Psychiatric Institute. Ms. Krawiec is a graduate of La Salle University and Long Island University; holding a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in public administration. She is a New Jersey native, married to John Regan with whom she has one son, Brian.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

Member, Carolyn Messner, DSW, MSW

Dr. Carolyn Messner is the Director of Education and Training at CancerCare. A licensed clinical social worker, Dr. Messner specializes and presents nationally and internationally on the psychosocial impact of cancer on patients, caregivers and families; methods to design educational interventions to ameliorate the distress of cancer; and cancer in the workplace. As a thought leader in psychosocial oncology, she pioneered the use of teleconference technology and podcasts to bring information and support to cancer patients, their families, friends, co-workers, employers and healthcare professionals nationally and globally. She directs CancerCare’s Connect Telephone Education Workshop Series Program, reaching over 150,000 patients and families annually. Dr. Messner is an adjunct instructor at the Hunter College School of Social Work. She is the recipient of: Distinguished Practitioner in Social Work Award and Individual Award for Creativity in Health Care Practice and Scholarship from National Academies of Practice; Leadership Award in Oncology Social Work from the Association of Oncology Social Work and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She is President of the Association of Oncology Social Work; on the Executive Council of the American Association of Cancer Education and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Cancer Education. She holds a Doctorate in Social Welfare from the Hunter College School of Social Work, City University of New York (CUNY) and received the Doctoral Fellowship Award in Social Welfare from CUNY for her seminal research on innovation in oncology social work.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

AACE Support Activities / Committees

Advisory Committee (last 5 Past Presidents)

Includes the last five past Presidents. Advises the Executive Council, functions as the Nominating and Resolutions Committees, and nominates the Margaret Hay Edwards Award recipient.

Dr. David Wiljer is the Director of Knowledge Management and eHealth Innovation for Oncology Education and the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network. He is also an Assistant Professor and the Director of Continuing Education in the Department of Radiation Oncology in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. David is the founding Chair of a national working group, the Canadian Committee for Patient Accessible Electronic Health Records (CCPAEHR), dedicated to involving patients in their EHR. With an expertise in knowledge exchange and impact assessment, he has led the research, development, implementation and assessment of complex informatics initiatives for cancer care. His work includes an online social networking software, Caring Voices, Lymph-Line, a research initiative funded by CBCRA to support Lymphedema patients, and Getting Results, a portal providing malignant hematology patients access to elements of their health record, the recipient of an inaugural Minister of Health innovation award for process redesign. David recently received the Cancer Patient Education Network (CPEN) Gold Star Award for his contribution in the field of informatics for patient education.

For nearly 20 years, Dr. Karen Patricia Williams has been developing and refining her knowledge of and experience with the distinctive community networks utilized by racial and ethnic groups in the United States. She has been able to view breast and cervical cancer prevention and control from the unique perspective of community-based systems as well as health services research. As a tenured associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Dr. Williams has been involved in the evolution of women’s health research from fragmentation to the transition of bench to bedside to barrio (community) through use of mix methodology, quantitative and qualitative. She has more than near 14 years’ experience as a proposal reviewer for various Federal agencies, foundations and universities. She regularly reviews manuscripts for journals and is an associate editor for the Journal of Cancer Education, the crown jewel of the American Association for Cancer Education. Considered an independent researcher by gold standard of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Williams’ NIH funding solidified her program of research for Community and Familial Solutions for Cancer Disparities. She is a graduate of Temple University and Michigan State University. She has authored peer-reviewed papers, reports and book chapters. She is a past president of board of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Lansing Affiliate is a member of the Michigan Cancer Consortium Breast Cancer Committee and was a former co-chair of the Minority Women’s Health Panel of Experts with the United States Public Health Service’s Office on Women’s Health. She currently serves as chair of the Links, Incorporated Central Area Health and Human Services Facet.

Frank D. Ferris, MD is the Director, International Program at The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, a teaching affiliate of the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. He has appointments as Clinical Professor, Voluntary, in the Department of Family & Preventative Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA; and Assistant Professor, Adjunct, Department of Family and Community Medicine, and Member, Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Initiates and receives proposed changes in the Bylaws from members; interprets the existing Bylaws. The Chair of the Bylaws Committee serves as the parliamentarian at the Annual Meeting and the meetings of the Executive Council.

Linda Krebs is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Denver, College of Nursing, and the Director of the Office of Gender, Minorities and Children for the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Krebs also works collaboratively to enhance the quality of life of Native Americans and other medically un/underinsured individuals with cancer through Native American Cancer Research in Denver, CO and Native American Cancer Initiatives in Pine, Colorado. She has extensive experience in oncology nursing and in oncology education for healthcare providers and the public, holding roles such as oncology clinical nurse specialist, cancer screening practitioner, and oncology nurse consultant/educator. Dr. Krebs has served as a mentor for the Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center’s NCI-funded Cancer, Culture and Literacy Program, as a Core Member of the NCI’s Central IRB, and as a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on locally and federally funded cancer-related projects. Additionally, Dr. Krebs is a past national president of the Oncology Nursing Society and speaks nationally and internationally on cancer care.

Dr. David Wiljer is the Director of Knowledge Management and eHealth Innovation for Oncology Education and the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network. He is also an Assistant Professor and the Director of Continuing Education in the Department of Radiation Oncology in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. David is the founding Chair of a national working group, the Canadian Committee for Patient Accessible Electronic Health Records (CCPAEHR), dedicated to involving patients in their EHR. With an expertise in knowledge exchange and impact assessment, he has led the research, development, implementation and assessment of complex informatics initiatives for cancer care. His work includes an online social networking software, Caring Voices, Lymph-Line, a research initiative funded by CBCRA to support Lymphedema patients, and Getting Results, a portal providing malignant hematology patients access to elements of their health record, the recipient of an inaugural Minister of Health innovation award for process redesign. David recently received the Cancer Patient Education Network (CPEN) Gold Star Award for his contribution in the field of informatics for patient education.

Disclosure Statement: No relevant financial relationships to disclose

Development Committee

Manages all development, fundraising, liaison and Special Interest Group activities for the Association.

Dr. Bishop is Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, at the University of Arizona and a Member of the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Bishop is the Acting Chief of the Section of Hematology/Oncology at the Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System. Her research interest is developing and evaluating cancer related end of life curricula for pre and post-doctoral students.

Dr. Bishop was included in the 2002 Dean's List for Excellence in Teaching in the Clinical Sciences. She is also faculty mentor for the Societies Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.